Trunk or receptacle.



M. E. B. WILLIAMS.

TRUNK 0R RECEPTACLE.

APPLICATION -F1LED DEC. 5. 1910.

1,143,474; Patented June 15, 1915. v

3 SHEETS-SHEET I;

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M. E; B. WILLIAMS.

TRUNK 0R RECEPTACLE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.5. 1910.

Patented June 15, 1915.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

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M.v E. B. WILLIAMS.

TRUNK 0R RECEPTACLE.

APPLICATION FILED 050.5. 1910.

PatentedJune 15, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

THE NORRIS PETERS CO.. PHOTO-LITHO WASHINGTON, D. C

MARGARET ELIZABETH BEEDLE WILLIAMS, OF WESTERNPORT, MARYLAND.

TRUNK 'OR RECEPTAOLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 15, 1915.

Application filed December 5, 1910. Serial N 0. 595,743.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARGARET ELIZABETH BEEDLE WILLIAtis, a citizen of the United States, residing at VVesternport, in the county of Allegheny and State of Maryland, have invented new and useful Improvements in Trunks or Receptacles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a trunk or receptacle having trays, partitions and the like the change of position ofwhich will convert its whole interior into one space, the trays, partitions and their adjuncts remaining inside ready for immediate use when desired.

My improvement also extends to the construction of the trays, and to other features and combinations hereinafter described.

The invention, while specifically intended for a trunk, is applicable also to suit cases or other luggage receptacles, as well as to drawers used in bureaus, wardrobes and other articles of household furniture.

In the/accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my invention as applied to a trunk, the lids being raised and the interior trays, partitions and other features exposed to view. Fig. 2 is also a perspective, showing a detached detail seen in place in Fig. 1. Fig; 3 is a longitudinal section. Fig.;' 1 isa transverse section on the line 44 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig.5 is a similar section on the line 55 of the same figure looking in the directionindicated. Fig. 6 is a transverse section showing the tray arrangement so adjusted that there are upper, intermedi ate and lower compartments. Fig. 7 is a similar view showing an adjustment whereby there are but two compartments. Fig. 8 isa similar section showing an adjustment whereby there is but one compartment but not unobstructed to the available extent. Fig. 9 is a similar section showing the entire interior so adjusted as to present practically no obstruction. Figs. 10 and 11 are plan views of details used in connection'with the tray structure. Fig. 12 is a modification of features shown in Figs. 10 and 11.. Figs. 6 to 11, inclusive, are shown upon a scale smaller than that of Figs. 1. to 5, inclusive, and 12.

Referring more especially to Fig. 1'-

represents the exterior body or casing of the trunk which, with its lid 2, will hereinafter for convenience be termed the trunk, though mary features and their adjuncts. The lid 2 is hinged to the casing 1 in the ordinary manner and provided with straps or stays 3. The tray structure mainly consists of a lower section 4; and an upper one 5. The section 5 is shown open and provided with a lid 6 removably hinged at 6". The tray 5 is also furnished with the ordinary hand holes 6". The tray 5 is shown transversely and preferably centrally divided by a partition 7 between which and the right hand end of the tray extends a longitudinal partition 8 preferably in the center line of the tray. This end of the tray 5 is furthermore divided by means of an angular partition 9, a corresponding angular partition 9 being-provided in the left hand end. The two trays 41 and 5 are held together preferably by hooks 25, Figs. 3 and 5, which engage keepers 26, and in order to give greater supporting strength to the trays each is provided with a central strap. The strap 11 is riveted or otherwise attached to the front of the tray 5, and the strap 13 similarly secured to the lower tray 4. These straps may be fastened to buckles 12, 12*, Figs. 3 and 5, at the opposite sides of the trays. The strap 13 serves to support the slidable bottom hereinafter more particularly described.

Returning'to Fig. 1, the interior of the tray 5 is provided with a series of loops or sockets 15 attached in some suitable manner to its respective walls and its partitions, as seen also in Fig. 2, and more particularly in Figs. 10 and'll. The function of these sockets is to enable the partitions to be adjusted to any required position. Thus in Fig. l the partition 7, by means of its bolts 16, Fig. 2, is shown adjusted to the longitudinal central position of the tray 5, and the longitudinal partition 8 placed centrally with respect to the tray 5 by means of similar bolts. A fuller indication of the sockets 15 and their use in connection with the partitions is found in Fig. 10 which, with Fig. 1, shows angular partitions 9 adjusted with respect to a transverse partition 7. A corner adjustment of an angular partition is seen in Fig. 1. In Fig. 12 the series of sockets 15 is represented in a modified form in the nature of a strip 15 adapted to be attached to a wall of the tray, said strip being fur nished with semicircular apertures.

v Considering the tray system more fully, it will be found by reference to Figs. 3 to 9, inclusive, that there is a plurality of sliding trays herein shown as two in number, viz: the lower one 4 and the upper one 5." These trays, whether partitioned off in the manner hereinabove mentioned or notfor it is to be understood that the lower tray, though not so shown, may also be partitionedare separate and distinct. In Fig. 6 the floor or bottom 17 of the upper tray 5 constitutes the top of the lower tray 4, said bottom being slid within grooves 18 as shown, and the bottom 19 of the lower tray 4 resting and sliding in similar grooves 20 of that tray. The lower tray 4 is furnished with additional grooves 21 so that thebottom of the upper tray 5 may be slipped therein when desired. As indicated in ig. 6, the bottom 19 of the lower tray is above said lower grooves, there being an opening 19 along the front of the lower tray to permit the bottom to be slid in and out. Thetwo trays, resting the one upon the other, are sup ported upon strips 22 secured, by preference, detachably to the end walls of the trunk. These strips 22 are shown in operative position in Figs. 3 to 8, inclusive, and in Figs. 4 and 5 a spring bolt 23 is seen inserted in each end of a strip, which bolts, as represented in Fig. 4, project into holes 24 formed inthe walls ofthe trunk. In Fig. 7 the bottom 17 is removed from the grooves 18 of the upper tray and inserted within the corresponding grooves 21 of the lower tray, the result being that the two trays now con: stitute practically but one receptacle which, however, still retains the removably hinged top or cover 6, 6. In Fig. 8 the two trays, still resting one upon the other and supported by the strips 22, are shown with their bottoms removed, they, with the top 6it having been slidably disengaged from the upper trayresting upon the bottom of the trunk. In Fig. 9 the strips 22 are shown removed by the withdrawal of their bolts 23, the upper'tray is deprived of its top and bottom, and the lower one has its bottom removed, all being placed in the bottom of the trunk, the lower tray resting upon the top 6 of the upper tray. It is thus seen that, by the changes above described in the parts and positions of the trays, the space available for the reception of articles. or the packing of the same, is varied in several ways, the arrangement shown in Fig. 9 practically utilizing the entire interior of the trunk as i a packing case. In Fig. 7 a transverse partition 7 is seen in position, which may be used as needed. The same may be said of individual transverse or other partitions for either of the trays, the partitions in all cases being made removable and adjustable as to location. In Fig. 3 the upper and lower trays are shown as hooked together by means of the latches 25 freely pivoted in the upper tray and'fitting in keepers 26 aflixed to the lower tray, this admitting of the lifting out of the two trays together. In the same figure the central transverse partition 7 is represented in two parts, it having a section 7 a hanged at 7 b which, as shown in that figure, rests upon the top 17 of the lower tray. See the dotted lines in Fig. 2, which show the section 7 lifted, this being effected by means of a keeper 26. The same figure shows, in full lines, the section 7 lowered and held upright by means of a latch 2f which fits in the keeper 26. When the bot-- tom of the uppertray is slid outathe side opening occupied by the bottom is closed by means of a flexible flap 28, Fig. 5, which preferably is made elastic so as toinsure its closing action.

In addition to the facilities afforded by the trunk proper as a packing receptacle having differently adjusted compartments, these compartments, or any of them, may be utilized as receptacles for folding boXes 27 shown in Figs. 10 and 11, which boxes may be used for small articles, or when not in use may be flattened out and stowed away as is the case'with the partitions and other movable parts. may be provided with hooks or other devices fitting them to be hung upon the loops or sockets 15.

Thepartition 7,'seen especially in Figs. 1 and 2, is cut out at its top, as shown by 7 so that umbrellas, canes or the like may rest in the semicircular depressions. The rest for umbrellas and the like is effected by the employment of this partition and the rack 7 Figs. 1 and 4, attached to an end of the upper tray, and provided with similar depressions. This rack may be made detachable from the'upper tray or provided with a hinge if found desirable.

Myinvention, while specifically shown as applied to an ordinary trunk, by increasing its capacity beyond what is required for the ordinary individual, may be adapted as a theatrical trunk, or for the purposes of salesmen for the transportation of articles to be exhibited as samples or for sale. When a trunk is mentioned I wish. to be understood that such term is intended to include steamer or what are known as dresser or wardrobe or bureau trunks, packing cases, or such hand trunks as are known as suit cases or the like. Furthermore, the invention may be applied to drawers as used in bureaus, wardrobes or other articles of household furniture wherever the capacity of the space intended to These folding boxes 7 be utilized for the reception of articles may variously changed without the exercise of invention, and such changes as involve mere unsubstantial equivalents are understood to be as within the scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. A trunk or receptacle having removable tray supports, combined with a plurality of trays adapted to rest upon said supports, and a slidably removable bottom for each of said trays, the construction being such that, upon the removal of the tray supports and the bottoms of the trays, the entire tray system may be stored at the bottom of the trunk, thus afiording a practically unobstructed interior, substantially as set forth.

2. A trunk or receptacle provided with removable tra-y supports, combined with a plurality of trays having removable parts, the construction being such that, on the removal of said supports and said parts and the storing of the same at the bottom of the trunk or receptacle, the latter is given a practically unobstructed interior, substantially as set forth.

3. A trunk or receptacle having removable tray supports, combined with a plurality of trays adapted to rest upon said supports, a slidably removable bottom for each of said trays, and a removable top for the upper one of said plurality, the construction being such that, upon the removal of the tray supports, the bottoms of the trays and the top of the upper tray, the entire tray system may be stored at the bottom of the trunk, thus affording a practically unobstructed interior, substantially as set forth.

4:. The combination in a trunk or receptacle of a lower and an upper tray, a removable bottom for said upper tray, and a partition for said upper tray having a hinged lower section adapted to deepen said partition, whereby it may occupy the height of both trays, substantially as set forth.

5. A trunk or receptacle, having removable tray supports, combined with a plurality of trays, a slidably removable bottom for each of said trays, and means for detachably connecting the trays of said plurality, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination in a trunk or receptacle, of a plurality of trays, removable bottoms :Eor said trays, and a flexible and resilient flap located to rest upon a removable bottom intervening between two trays and adapted to close the space between them upon the withdrawal. of said intervening bottom, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MARGARET ELIZABETH BEEDLE WILLIAMS.

Witnesses:

ANDREW DE SALEs LAUGHLIN, JAMES WILLIAM LAUGHLIN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. 0." 

